Mr. D. G. Elliot on the Trochilidae. 
35 
187. Anas boschas, L. Ordek (Duck). 
A few were seen in the mountains; and it was found com¬ 
mon and breeding in the interior. 
188. Tadorna rutila (Pall.). 
Common throughout the interior. Young birds were found, 
on the 17th May, at Duendje. 
Numbers of Terns were seen on the marsh near Kaisariyeh. 
We did not obtain a specimen; but they all appeared to belong 
to one species, probably Sterna nigra. 
II.;— Notes on the Troehilidse. The Genus Thaumatias. 
By D. G. Elliot, E.R.S.E. &e. 
The genus Thaumatias is eomposed of various species of 
Humming-birds which have a close resemblance to each other, 
and possess a plumage for the most part of green and white 
hues—in eertain species brilliantly metallie, in others rather 
dull in appearance. The resemblance existing between some 
of them has been the cause of much confusion in their 
nomenelature, as ornithologists, from the want of a suffieient 
series of specimens to assist them in forming an opinion, have 
been unable to discriminate the differenees that really exist, 
and so could not satisfactorily recognize the species. The 
present paper, it is hoped, will, by means of the analytical 
table, show the eharaeters by which the species, admitted as 
valid, may be distinguished without difficulty. I trust also that 
the review of their nomenclature may clear away some of the 
confusion that has existed in their synonymy, and restore in 
partieular cases the names originally bestowed, and by which 
the speeies should be known, although these appellations have 
been permitted for many years to be thrust aside for others 
which had no claim whatever to precedence. 
The genus Thaumantias (afterwards written Thaumatias) 
was instituted by Bonaparte in the Comptes Eendus,^ 1850, 
vol. XXX. p. 382, to inelude the Trochilus thaumantias, Linn., 
S. N. 1766, p. 489; but as this species was already the type 
of Brissoffis genus Polytmus, Bonaparte^s name cannot be 
accepted. Mr. Gould, in his monograph, applied the term 
D 2 
